Digital literacies in two low socioeconomic classrooms: snapshots of practice
Article
Article Title | Digital literacies in two low socioeconomic classrooms: snapshots of practice |
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ERA Journal ID | 35666 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Henderson, Robyn (Author) and Honan, Eileen (Author) |
Journal Title | English Teaching: Practice and Critique |
Journal Citation | 7 (2), pp. 85-98 |
Number of Pages | 14 |
Year | 2008 |
Publisher | Emerald |
Place of Publication | Hamilton, NZ |
ISSN | 1175-8708 |
Web Address (URL) | http://education.waikato.ac.nz/research/files/etpc/files/2008v7n2art5.pdf |
Abstract | The teaching of digital literacies is regarded as an important facet of literacy teaching in the 21st century. With many literacy tests continuing to indicate that students’ levels of achievement tend to be differentiated along socioeconomic lines, it seems timely to consider the connections between home and school and how these play out in relation to digital literacies. This is particularly important in light of the considerable evidence that has demonstrated how important home-school connections are in ensuring improved traditional literacy outcomes for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. With these points in mind, this article reports on an investigation into the usage of digital technologies in two middle years classrooms in low socioeconomic suburbs in a regional Australian city. Using a range of ethnographic techniques, the study explored two teachers’ approaches to teaching students how to use digital technologies in one school term. Through snapshots of digital practices in the two classrooms, three issues are considered: teachers’ pedagogical approaches; students’ access to digital technologies at home and at school; and the teachers’ recognition of students’ prior knowledge of digital technologies. The article concludes by reflecting on the need for teachers to draw on the digital literacies that students are using in their out-of-school lives, to make bridges to school learning and thus address the challenge of preparing students to be literate in the 21st Century. |
Keywords | deficit discourses; digital divide; digital literacies; digital technologies; literacy; socioeconomic status |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 390405. Educational technology and computing |
390203. Sociology of education | |
390104. English and literacy curriculum and pedagogy (excl. LOTE, ESL and TESOL) | |
Public Notes | © 2008 English Teaching: Practice and Critique articles are copyrighted by the respective authors. |
Byline Affiliations | Faculty of Education |
University of Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/9yw34/digital-literacies-in-two-low-socioeconomic-classrooms-snapshots-of-practice
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